B$Z: ‘Perfected’ Versatility Earns Outdoor Research 2016 Gear of the Year From Outside Magazine

Insulated jackets that can be worn
comfortably across a wide range of temperatures and conditions are one of the
hottest categories in the Outdoor Industry, and Outdoor Research’s Uberlayer
Hooded Jacket “has perfected the concept,” according to Outside Magazine. This week, Outside bestowed its 2016
Gear of the Year Award on the Uberlayer. The award is highlighted in the Fall
2015 Outside Buyer’s Guide.

"The Uberlayer was the most
versatile backcountry jacket we tested this year,” said Axie Navas, editor of
the Buyer’s Guide. “Our testers put it on, then kept it on, in temperatures
ranging from below freezing to over 60 degrees."

Leading the industry in the category
of Active Insulation has been a goal at Outdoor Research through the last
several product development cycles, driven by the core OR brand pillar of
‘Innovation that Works’ – innovating in a way that truly improves the user’s
experience, not simply using new technology for new technology’s sake.

Over the last year, Outdoor Research
has introduced three different jackets with Active Insulation technology. In
each of those jackets, Outdoor Research looked in depth at how the different
layers and materials in the jacket – insulation, inner liner and outer shell –
complemented each other to breathe more effectively during aerobic activity,
yet also trap hot air for warmth when stopped. The Uberlayer is the most recent
addition to OR’s Active Insulation line, and reflects another Outdoor Research
brand pillar, ‘Improve Every Day.’

“When you put so much focus into a
particular category, it’s incredibly gratifying to have it resonate in such a
powerful way with the editorial testers at a publication like Outside,
where they clearly see the best of the best in outdoor technology each season,”
said Dan Nordstrom, CEO of Outdoor Research.“We’re incredibly honored
to win this award.”

With its pairing of Polartec Alpha
insulation, a nylon stretch-woven exterior, and highly breathable polyester
stretch mesh internal liner, the Uberlayer is perfect for alpinism, ski touring
or any other kind of aerobic activity that involves higher exertion in cold
conditions. It provides the warmth of a synthetic puffy one moment, and the
breathability and quick-dry performance of a fleece the next, all without
forcing the wearer to add, remove or adjust layers. Men’s and women’s fits are
available. It retails for $299.